


Redemption

by ihavenolife420



Series: Headcanons! [1]
Category: ARGONAVIS from BanG Dream! AAside (Video Game)
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Bad Parents, Foster Care, Gen, Gender Dysphoria, Headcanon, Leaving Home, Nonbinary Akebono Ryo
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-31
Updated: 2020-07-31
Packaged: 2021-03-06 03:48:37
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,764
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25626964
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ihavenolife420/pseuds/ihavenolife420
Summary: "You're nothing but an abomination to humanity. Don't ever come near us again."And with the short, sharp sound of the front door slamming in their face, Ryo broke.
Relationships: Akebono Ryo & Asahi Nayuta
Series: Headcanons! [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1912408
Comments: 9
Kudos: 30





	Redemption

**Author's Note:**

> Please take caution when reading this! To some people, the themes in this story can be sensitive and triggering. These themes include gender dysphoria, slurs and mental/emotional abuse.  
> This is NOT canon by the way. It is only my rendition of the theory behind Ryo's little alien gimmick. Also CRINGE warning cause I ain't good with this angst stuff

An unmistakable look of fury and disgust was spread across their father's face as he held up Ryo's phone. 

"What is this?"

On the phone's screen, showed a picture of Ryo. 

That was normal, right?

Well, it would be if they weren't wearing lipstick and a red skirt to match.

Ryo's gaze was plastered to the ground, trying their best to stop their legs from trembling. They knew that they were in hot water- they'd tried to keep their nonbinary identity a secret, and was doing a good job until their dumbass left their phone unlocked on the dinner table earlier.

"I said, what is this?" Their father boomed, angered at the lack of response. His tone was demanding and angry.

"M- Me!" Ryo replied, their voice cracking at the end. Their father replied with a harsh slap across their face, quickly cupping their hand over their stinging red cheek as they blinked rapidly, trying not to let their tears fall.

"This is not you!" He yelled, shaking his fist in the air. "No _son_ of mine is a filthy queer!"

_Son._

That word felt like a bow through the heart.

Ever since they were a small kid, they felt like anything but their father's son. Whenever they'd been told to 'man up' and 'be a man', it hurt them more than it usually should. Similarly, they'd spend hours daydreaming about wearing typically girly outfits and doodling themself- an idealized version of themself with slightly longer hair and wearing a skirt, with alien-themed shoes and a headband. It was only recently that they'd realised that they'd identified as nonbinary, and started expressing themselves differently. Putting on black nail polish, colouring a streak of their hair yellow and even wearing a skirt to their classmate's 13th were only some of the steps they had taken to appear more androgynous, to feel better about themselves as a whole.

Now all traces of that established self-worth was leaking down the drain.

Their dad grabbed a large black duffle bag and started to chuck his child's belongings into it. Books on space, alien-themed plushies, their old clothes that were too boyish for their liking were all tossed into the large bag, along with their astronaut figures. Ryo's eyes widened in horror as they realised what was going on.

_They were getting kicked out._

"Dad..." Ryo pleaded, "Please! Let me stay... I'll do all of the vacuuming, the clothes-washing, the dish-washing, even the car-washing... Please!" 

But their dad's grip on the back of their purple hoodie only grew tighter as they were pulled down the stairs.

"Mum..." Ryo muttered helplessly, reaching an arm out towards their mother. The woman looked back at them with a sorrowful expression on her face but sat rooted to her spot, tears visible in the corner of their eyes. 

That was the last time Ryo would ever see their mother.

Their dad soon reached the front door. Tossing the duffle bag outside, they stumbled and fell onto the doormat as the previously tight grip on their hoodie was loosened.

"Please," Ryo begged, clapping their hands together in a prayer-like motion. "I'll do anything-"

Their father snorted. Turning his head away with his nose stuck high into the air, his tall, slender frame stood strong in the doorway.

"You're nothing but an abomination to humanity. Don't ever come near us again."

And with the short, sharp sound of the front door slamming in their face, Ryo broke. 

Although the sound lasted no more than a few seconds, it lingered in the air, replaying and rewinding in their head like a cassette tape. The distinct slam of the black wooden door, the suffocating feeling of helplessness, humiliation and loneliness that flooded their mind, coiling itself tightly around their chest as the door was shut firmly, and the look of relentless shame plastered on their father's face was something that would forever remain imprinted, engraved deep into Ryo's mind, just like the rest of their dead memories.

The cold, bitter winter breeze harshly bit at their exposed arms as they stood helplessly, shivering on their what was now to become their old household porch. Heavy raindrops poured down onto the rooftop above them, a distant rumble of thunder rumbling through the neighbourhood, slightly shaking the ground beneath them. Sinking down onto the ground, they pulled their knees into their chest, wrapping their thin, cold arms around them tightly, and started to cry. Their tears were not just the simple teardrops rolling down one's face after an argument, but more so the desolate kind; the bleak, dejected sobs that are rare, only coming from a person utterly drained of hope. Whether the gloomy winter weather was trying to empathise with them or bring them down further, it had no effect in changing what had already happened, the events that were set in time like stone.

"I'm sorry," Ryo sobbed, hugging their knees tighter into their chest. "I'm so, so sorry."

The rest of their high school years seemed to drag, the days feeling like they went by very slowly with cycles repeating over and over. Sure, a lot has happened ever since they got kicked out of their old home- getting tossed around from family to family was one thing they had to get used to since they were now a teenager in foster care. Some families were alright, some were incredibly rude and reminded them of their old parents. It was the days (and sleepless nights) with those people when they'd feel the most helpless, alone and weak, some days not even bothering to get out of bed. 

Every time they got introduced to a new family, they'd always try to avoid talking about their past seeing as it was highly uncomfortable for them, so they'd ended up coming up with an excuse- a little alien gimmick about getting kicked off their home planet due to the inability to make people happy. In Ryo's opinion, it'd work just fine. People would think they were a weird person, but they didn't give any shits as long as they were left alone. 

Moving from family to family also meant that they'd discover some new interests along the way. Along with their increasing interest for space (they'd find that they'd have hyperfixations on the topic now and then) they'd discovered music and particularly, the bass.

"The bass is a very important instrument in the band," one of their foster dads had explained. "The bassist's job is to keep beat with the drums and help support the rhythm. It doesn't get noticed much during performances and concerts, so that's why the bassist generally has to work harder."

With this description, Ryo thought that the bass reminded them of themself. With the quietness and passiveness of the bass's sound and the general low-lying vibe of the instrument, they soon took a liking to the instrument.

Besides, it was easier to get away with playing the bass at night, and that was just what they did after their foster brother gave them their old bass. With the lights turned out, they sat slumped over the bass guitar, listening to songs and playing the bass lines by ear until their hands and fingers became sore and tender from all of the plucking. Just the feeling of focusing on hearing only the music through their earphones and trying to figure out the bassline was tricky, to say the least, but it was incredibly relaxing for them due to it being like an escape from reality. They soon decided to bring the bass to school and practice alone in the music room, in order to avoid having to interact with other people during the bustling, busy lunchtime break.

Unbeknownst to them, a particular silver-haired boy from the year below lingered in the corridors whenever they'd practice their bass. The white-haired boy was impressed by Ryo's bass skills (although, he would never admit it) and found it quite pleasant to stand outside the music room to listen to the low, rumbling tone of the bass. While listening to Ryo play their bass, he also wondered. 

_What was up with this kid?_

He didn't see a reason why people would exclude them just because of who they were and how they'd act. Sure, he'd heard the rumours going around about the 'alien kid' and the 'weirdo,' but was that really enough of a reason to exclude someone that skilled?

But then it clicked.

_If no one takes them, I'll get them to join my band._

"Hey," the silver-haired boy said gruffly, leaning against the music room's doorway. "Akebono Ryo, right?"

At the mention of their name, the bassist glanced up in surprise. At the doorway was a familiar student that they'd seen around school many times. It was Asahi Nayuta, one of the smartest and snarkiest students- if not, the snarkiest student in school. Judging by this boy's character, he was likely just here to bully them- Ryo looked down at the ground, their expression depressed and braced for any harsh words that were going to be potentially sent their way-

"Join my band."

"E- Eh?"

The bassist couldn't help but let out an exclamation of surprise. No harsh words or anything?

They looked up slowly, bringing themself to look the white-haired boy in the eyes. His gaze was extremely intimidating, and Ryo couldn't help but slightly flinch.

"You want... me... to join... your band?" They mumbled. "Even if I'm-"

"Tch," Nayuta said dismissively, waving his hand to the side. "I don't care about that. The only thing that matters to me is whether you're good at playing bass or not. So, you coming?"

Ryo stopped for a second, letting themself ponder their thoughts. A band would mean performances, which meant more people to criticise them, but also-

_Wait._

Maybe this band would give them a chance.

A chance- not only to play music with others but also to redeem themselves to the hateful world around them, the same one that had turned their backs on them, ridiculed them, bullied them.

A chance to redeem themselves to their family, to prove that they're something else other than an attention-seeking problem child, an accidental mistake, an abomination to humanity.

A chance to make their family _happy_ again.

"Yes," Ryo replied, an excited smile spreading across their face. Bouncing up and down on the spot, they grabbed Nayuta's hands, taking his hands into theirs as they felt themselves do a little happy dance.

Grinning broadly for the first time in forever, Ryo nodded.

"I would love to join your band."

**Author's Note:**

> If you wanna catch me someplace else or scream about this to me, you can find me on [insta](https://www.instagram.com/yuwuto/)


End file.
